Cataphile
by Scrapbastard
Summary: When a school trip to the catacombs goes horribly wrong, Marinette's confession is put on hold. Now the whole class is in great peril! Will the power of love be enough to overcome this new threat? Or will they be lost to the darkness below Paris? Tune in now to see what happens!


**Hello! Thanks for checking out this fic. My goal with this fic was to write something that felt like it could be a real episode of the show. It follows the same basic kind of formula as your typical Ladybug episode, with some exceptions. I was also nerding out pretty hard for the Catacombs beneath Paris when I wrote this. If you don't know what they are, look em up! And I hope you enjoy "Cataphile".  
**

"Now, before we enter, is there anyone who'd rather stay up here?"

Several hands shot up. Chloé explained in no uncertain terms that she wouldn't be caught dead down in some musty old hole, especially one full of dead people. And if Chloé was staying, then of course, Sabrina would stay as well. Mylène, who found herself incapable of locomotion at the thought of exploring the ossuary below them, elected to stay up in the sun where she insisted "it was not as scary." Ivan, her gentle and loyal boyfriend, volunteered to stay with her, which was admirable—everyone knew he had been looking forward to this trip all week. Rose, whose sunny disposition didn't suit the underground, considered staying, but her best friend, Juleka, insisted she come along. Juleka was more excited than perhaps any of her classmates for this trip.

Indeed, class trips were rare and most of Mme. Bustier's class was happy at the chance to take a trip away from school for a day, especially if it meant missing their other classes. Which is why, when class representative Marinette suggested a class trip, the vote was nearly unanimous.

Marinette had envisioned a pleasant trip down the Seine or to the Eiffel Tower, where she could finally take in the view of Paris without worrying about it being destroyed. Or perhaps, she thought, a more altruistic journey, to Notre Dame, as volunteers to assist in the restoration. Any of these would have been extremely tame and wonderful.

Then Adrien Agreste, notable teen model and twice voted most popular in class, suggested they take the class down to the Place Denfert-Rochereau, to see the Catacombs beneath Paris. A notable piece of the city's history, the catacombs were an obvious choice for an educational trip. It wasn't the most popular idea, but it did have support among some of his more eccentric classmates, including the class representative.

Marinette found herself unusually enthusiastic about this idea. After all, her crush on Adrien often skewed her perception of things. At the end of the day, she just wanted Adrien to like her. If that meant blindly going along with his ideas, she was usually willing to do so. She proposed it to Mme. Bustier, who agreed that it was a wonderful idea. It was only after the matter was settled and Marinette returned to her seat that she realized exactly what it was she had agreed to.

Originally, Marinette had come up with the idea of a class trip specifically for Adrien. Adrien's overprotective father would seldom allow Adrien to spend time with his friends outside the context of school. Too many plans had fallen through because of Adrien's father deemed them unnecessary. Everyone knew it took its own toll on Adrien's happiness. But, if Adrien's class were to take a trip, then he would be obligated to come along, and would therefore finally have a chance to spend time with the people who cared about him.

Marinette would have liked to go somewhere romantic. Somewhere she might have an opportunity to speak with Adrien about her feelings. She was determined to finally let him know how she felt, and she would do it somewhere romantic and beautiful, and it would work! Yes, she was convinced! It was the perfect plan!

Or at least, it was.

Marinette took her seat next to Alya, her best friend, and did her best to stare straight ahead. She could feel Alya glaring at her, boring a hole right through her.

"Girl." She heard her friend mutter. Marinette's nervous grin wavered. "The catacombs?"

"The catacombs can be..." Marinette swallowed hesitantly. "Nice."

"You know how Paris is the city of love? Most romantic city in Europe?" Alya asked, feigning an amused smile. Marinette nodded enthusiastically. "The catacombs might just be the least romantic place in the city of love. Which is kind of a feat in its own right."

Marinette's head hit her desk and she groaned, eliciting a small chuckle out of her friend.

"This changes nothing!" Marinette declared, walking home after class with Alya, who rolled her eyes. "Adrien chose the Catacombs so he must like them! Right? So it's as good a place as any."

"I don't think anyone... 'likes' the catacombs, Marinette," Alya posited with a shrug, "he's probably just interested. You know, as like... a Parisian."

Marinette hung her head in silence and slowed her gait. Her shoulders sagged and a frown creased her face. "You're probably right. How could I be so stupid? No one confesses in the catacombs!"

Alya stopped and doubled back, ruffling Marinette's hair playfully.

"You're not stupid, Marinette," Alya reassured. "Everyone knows you're brave, smart, and kind. Including Adrien. So I saay, you should go for it anyway!"

"You think so?"

"Of course! I mean, you... can't put it off forever, right? So why not just pull the trigger and see how it goes? What's the worst that could happen?"

Marinette continued walking, her brow wrinkling as she considered the many various ways that her confession could end disastrously. From being rebuffed to a catastrophic cave-in, every possible scenario was racing through her head. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Oh sorry, were you planning to tell him some other time?" Alya teased. Marinette pouted at her, but she couldn't keep it up for long. After a deep, calming breath, a smile appeared on young Marinette's face.

"Okay. I'll try. But if it goes wrong, I'm blaming you."

"That's my girl!" Alya exclaimed with a jubilant look. They descended the stairs in front of the school and hugged goodbye. "Just remember. Deep breaths. Keep it cool. You got this."

"This place is 100% creepier than I thought," Alya quipped as she descended the stairs into the gloom below. There was a mutter of agreement from the crowd of students, except for a few.

"It's great..." murmured Juleka, who's fascination with the macabre was well known. Rose, her girlfriend, clinged to her arm, forcing a smile that fought desperately to melt into a grimace. Juleka peered down at her with her one visible eye. "You know this place contains the bones of six million people...?"

"Six point two million!" Their tour guide corrected, saving young Rose from having to manufacture a response. "All moved in over the length of year in the 1700's."

The tour guide continued leading the group down into the bowels of the city, making grand gestures with his arms, reciting various grim statistics. Every time he mentioned some factoid about the sheer amount of bones or the horrible plagues that produced them, Juleka felt Rose squeeze her arm a little tighter. Concerned, she looked down at her.

"Everything okay, Rose?" She murmured. Rose responded by forcing a wry smile and nodding.

"So romantic." Words she managed to coerce out without stammering. Juleka exhaled and smiled back at her.

Further down the stairs, Marinette took each step down extremely deliberately. It didn't matter to her if she held up those members of the class who were unfortunate enough to enter after her. She was clumsy enough in broad daylight on even ground. Her mind ran away with thoughts of the grim consequences of a misstep. How she might tumble down the steps, joining the cadavers below. How her bones might forever be on display, right there in the very tombs she perished in. How some American tourist might one day read a plaque that said, "This Skull belonged to Paris' most clumsy citizen, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who died without ever telling her crush she liked him."

And worst of all, if she died, that would certainly ruin her chances with Adrien.

"You okay, Marinette?" A voice chimed from in front of her. She nodded nervously, as she struggled to find the words with him. He laughed as he went along. "I can see the bottom, so we're almost there. You got this!"

He took a few steps, jumped the last two, and landed triumphantly at the bottom, looking back at her with a smile. Marinette felt shallow every time she saw that smile and felt a flutter in her heart. But she couldn't help it! He was beautiful! But he had a wonderful heart as well. That was what truly drew Marinette to Adrien. The outside was a nice bonus, though.

"Don't sweat it, Marinette." His voice was cocky, but genuine. "If you fall, I'll catch you!"

As if on cue, the imagery this evoked in Marinette's head made her heart skip a beat, her foot skip a step, and with a yelp, she stumbled down the remaining steps, slamming into Adrien in front of her. He subsequently lost his balance and sprawled out upon the cold stone floor. The impact kicked up a cloud of dust that sent the rest of the class into a coughing fit.

"Adrien! My dear, are you okay!?" Marinette shot up off the ground and kneeled next to her crush who was still sprawled out on the ground. He let out a small, stifled groan in response.

"I'm fine, just a little sore. I didn't think you'd take me up on my offer, Marinette," he said as he rose to his feet. He patted the dust off of himself and rubbed the tender spots that would later become bruises. "Did you call me dear?"

Marinette's eyes widened and she stiffened up. Behind Adrien, she could see Alya, who had just made it to the bottom of the stairs. She gave Marinette a thoroughly unimpressed look. A look that seemed to say 'you are a huge mess.' Marinette couldn't help but agree.

"Yes! No! Er... you must have misheard!" Marinette stammed through gritted teeth. Alya had already rolled her eyes and walked off in search of cellular service. "I... I said, 'Oh dear!' B-because... that's what one says! When they're surprised. You see."

Marinette pushed her two index fingers together and averted her gaze. The boy in front of her smiled and sighed.

"That is what people say, isn't it," he said, with just the faintest hint of sarcasm. Marinette grinned and watched him go, managing to maintain the facade just long enough before her face melted into a horrified grimace. In her head, she could see her chances with Adrien slipping away, like so much dust between her fingers. As the young girl spiraled into disproportionate despair, Juleka and Rose approached from behind.

"I think that went very well, Marinette!" Rose sung, placing a tender hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, you'll get there one day. You only stammered once or twice there," Juleka muttered in agreement. Marinette's head remained hung and her disappointment permeated the air. Her two friends exchanged sympathetic glances.

"We're, uh... Rose and I are going to go touch some skulls," Juleka stated.

"We are?" Rose recoiled in something that initially resembled disgust, but soon turned into a mockery of pleasant surprise.

"Yeah. You want to come with, Marinette?"

Marinette smiled and shook her head. She thanked them both for the offer, but insisted they go on and have fun. She had promised to herself that she would talk to Adrien on this trip, and she had to hold herself to that.

Bidding her friends farewell, she marched off into the gloom in search of her target. She passed other members of the class on her way through the kilometer-long tunnels, each taking in the unique atmosphere slightly differently than the others. Nathaniel was busy sketching away, no doubt inspired by the otherworldly imagery around him. Alix, having worked with her family in the Louvre, was not unfamiliar with antiquities, and was fairly indifferent. Max was preoccupied explaining to Kim what the difference between the tibia and fibula was, with scant success. Each of them seemed to be—if not enjoying the trip—tolerating it, a fact that served as some small consolation to her as class representative.

She wandered through the gloomy tunnels for a while more before she found him. In the dim, cold caverns it was easy to feel claustrophobic, and everything looked the same, so it was easy to get lost among the remains. Still, eventually she had wandered enough to find who she was looking for. He was there with Nino, his best friend. They were practically inseparable, so it wasn't surprising. Still, Marinette needed to be alone with Adrien. She sat there and watched them for a bit, biting her lower lip, trying to hatch a plan. Finally, it came to her. Noting his location, she ran off in search of some help.

"Dude, check it out," Adrien began, gesturing dramatically to a skull lodged in the wall at eye level. "Alas, poor Yorrick!"

This reimagining of classic English literature did little to impress Nino, who responded with silence and an unenthusiastic stare.

"You know... _Hamlet_?" Adrien explained, gesturing to the skull again. "The play?"

"Like, by Shakespeare?" Nino responded, with one eyebrow cocked. His knowledge of the great European classics was by no means extensive. He had more contemporary tastes. Adrien nodded.

"Right! Halfway through the play, they're in this graveyard, and he finds a skull, and—"

"Adrien," his friend cut him off, laying a hand gingerly upon his shoulder. A look of quiet resolution washed over him as he tried to find the right words. Several times, his mouth opened, or his lip quivered, but no words came. He knew he would have to be delicate, but also firm. "That's nerd stuff."

The boys burst into hysterics, innocently teasing each other. When they had settled down, Marinette made her move. She had gone off to find Alya, who was all too enthusiastic to be involved in another one if Marinette's schemes. Now that the boys had hit a lull, they decided that it was the perfect time to strike.

"Hey guys, what's funny?" Alya asked as the two made their approach. The two greeted them and Adrien explained that somehow Nino had worked up the bravado to call him a nerd, which elicited a chuckle out Marinette and Alya. The group engaged in some meaningless small talk before a subtle signal from Marinette indicated that it was time for Alya to put their plan into motion.

"Nino," she began, "I, uh... Have something I wanna show you. Over here."

She took Nino's hand and started to tug away from the group, but Nino didn't come along.

"Uh... Okay, well... Adrien and Marinette can come, right?" Nino questioned. He shot the others an assuming smile, which was only returned in earnest by Adrien. Turning back to Alya, he noticed she seemed a bit stern.

"No, Nino, just you."

Alya went up on her tip toes and leaned in to Nino, make sure her actions were as deliberate as possible. He brought her mouth close to his ear and whispered, "there's a new level of Super Penguino out."

Nino straightened up and whipped around to face Adrien and Marinette. They both eyed him suspiciously but said nothing when he flashed as innocent a smile as he could muster.

"Hey, sorry dudes, this sounds important. I, uh... Definitely gotta go with her. Alone. Alone with her, I mean. You get it. See you around!"

"Nino—" Adrien began, but the loving couple were already walking away. He sighed and put his hands on his hips, watching them turn the corner before looking at Marinette out of his periphery. "That was weird, right? I'm not alone in thinking that was weird?"

Marinette pretended to be forlorn at their absence for a moment before turning her gaze to Adrien. "Well, sometimes couples... just need some time alone together, you know?"

"Speaking of, I guess it's just you and me now, huh?" Adrien pointed out, wearing his friendliest grin. He had always been fond of Marinette. She was one of his first real friends, and she had shown him great kindness and understanding. She was considerate and creative, traits that he admired in her. In turn, he tried to be considerate as well. As far as he could tell, Marinette was an extremely anxious person, always stuttering and forgetting her words. He tried to be as patient as he could with her.

"O-Oh! Yes. Just us!" Marinette chuckled nervously. "N-Not that we're a couple, or anything! I mean, we could be! Or we couldn't be. That would be totally up to you!"

Adrien stared at her, unblinking, trying to piece together the dozen sentences that just came falling out of her mouth. He wrinkled his brow the way one would while trying to perform a complex algebraic equation. "Mari—"

"Just a couple of friends!" Marinette interjected, giving him a friendly pat on the arm. She felt herself spiraling out of control and needed to reel herself back in. She took a few deep breaths to recompose herself, as the two of them began walking through the tunnels together.

"This place is pretty neat, huh?" Adrien coughed, trying his best to make small talk. It was a shame he never got to spend too much time with any of his friends, but especially not with Marinette. He often felt like she purposely avoided being alone with him, which was the source of a lot of self doubt.

"It's... it's okay. It's a little grim, though. Why did you want to come here so bad?" Marinette said, choosing to make eye contact with a skull on the wall rather than look at Adrien and risk getting nervous again.

"Well... I'd just... never been. I've been to almost every famous site in Paris, for photo shoots, you know?" he explained, stopping every so often to read an informational plaque, "but never down here. I wanted to go somewhere I've never gone before."

Marinette smiled. She liked that. Marinette was often nervous to try new things. She didn't have the same enthusiasm that Adrien had. She was more cautious, she liked to feel things out before jumping in to them. But she admired Adrien's blind optimism.

"It's good to... try new things," Marinette said under her breath. She was mostly speaking to herself, but Adrien smiled and nodded at her. They turned a corner and found themselves in a small room lit by dim candlelight. It was no less creepy than the others, but the candles gave it a nicer atmosphere.

"Yeah! What's life without a little risk?" Adrien continued, enthusiastically. "I didn't even tell my dad we were taking this trip, you know? He thinks it's just a normal school day. He probably wouldn't allow me to go on class trips."

"Why not?" Marinette questioned. Adrien's dad was constantly trying to protect his son, but the lengths that he went to often seemed extreme. After all, she had devised this plan just to give Adrien a chance to go somewhere with the others. But now, it seemed, even that was doomed to fail.

Adrien sighed and shrugged. "He doesn't want me doing...anything. If he had his way, I would never leave the house. Who knows what excuse he'd come up with for why I shouldn't go."

Adrien stiffened up and furrowed his brow, displaying an extremely exaggerated scowl. In his best impression of his father, he said, "Adrien, I forbid you from going on a trip to the Catacombs with your friends. You may inhale a speck of dust and choke! Or your complexion could get worse from the musty air!"

Marinette chuckled. He mustered a bit of a laugh, but the more he discussed his father, the further down it dragged his mood. Marinette could see the boy's face start to sag a bit, and she smiled at him.

"I'm glad you're here, Adrien," she said, as earnestly as possible. She even managed not to trip over her words for once. Adrien returned her smile warmly.

"I am too!"

They continued exploring in silence for a while, passing by all manner of macabre displays. Marinette felt the anxiety creeping up on her. She became more and more doubtful that about her goal. Why ruin an otherwise nice trip with drama? She should just enjoy her time here. She could tell him another time, she thought.

As they walked together, they were passed on the side by a figure, running through the tunnels. The sudden appearance of this person made Marinette jump in surprise as they pushed past her, not slowing down even for a moment. Marinette watched them run down the hallway. It was dim, and the person was dressed in dark clothing, but Marinette could have sworn she recognized the person.

"H-Hey!" Marinette shouted, but it was no use. They had already turned the corner and disappeared.

"Who was that?" Adrien asked. He walked toward the corner and peered his head around, but there was no one there. "Weird."

"That looked like Juleka..." Marinette mused, joining her friend. They both stared down the corridor in confusion for a moment before continuing on. "I hope she's okay."

"You won't be in trouble?" she said, trying to distract herself from her growing doubt with small talk. It had been a while since they had begun walking together, and the more Marinette thought about telling Adrien the truth, the more uncomfortable it made her. The fluttery feeling she got in her chest whenever she was anxious was growing ever more palpable. "If your dad ever finds out, won't he ground you or something?"

Adrien thought to himself for a moment. This was a constant factor in his life. Every action he took could potentially have drastic consequences. His father was not the sort of man to take disobedience lightly.

"Maybe. If he does find out," Adrien mused after a short time. He looked at Marinette with a sort of unconvinced smile. "But some things are just worth the risk, you know? Can't let the fear stop me from doing what I want to do. Otherwise, I'd never do anything!"

Marinette's eyes widened. Adrien smiled at her and kept walking. She watched him, almost in slow motion. His words were almost like a sign. Like the missing puzzle piece. Just what she needed to hear to get everything moving. She felt she needed to act now, before her brain caught up with her heart and made her stop. She reached out and grasped Adrien's hand, and the young man suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Wait, Adrien," she stammered, not giving herself a moment to think about what she was saying or doing. Adrien turned to her, surprised. "I have to tell you something. And... I don't mind if it doesn't mean anything to you. I don't care if nothing changes. I have to tell you. For me."

"O-Okay," Adrien stuttered, caught totally off guard by her sudden frenzy. "What's up?"

"Adrien," she began, still grasping his hand. She stared down at it, and saw her own hands shaking. She was more nervous than she realized, but she had to press on. This wasn't about Adrien anymore, not entirely. It was just as much about her. She looked him in the eyes and took a deep breath. "For the longest time, I've been keeping this to myself. But I shouldn't... let fear stop me from doing what I want to do, right?"

Adrien smiled at her and nodded, though he still seemed a little confused. He looked down at his own hand, clutched in Marinette's, and felt conflicted. He didn't know if he should try to break away or just let her do what she needed to do. He didn't know what was going on.

"Adrien, I... I think I—"

Suddenly, Marinette was interrupted by loud, hollow-sounding boom, like an explosion far, far away. Shortly after, there was a violent shaking that threw the both of them off balance. Adrien shouted and stumbled forward, nearly taking a tumble. Marinette caught him just in time and they both kneeled down and covered their heads. Within moments, as suddenly as it had come, the shaking had ceased.

Marinette shuddered. Without lowering her arms, she tried to speak to Adrien, but could only muster a whisper. "What was that?"

"I don't know. You okay?" replied Adrien as he slowly rose to his feet. He helped Marinette up and supported her as she found her balance. She was still shaking. "Thanks for catching me."

"No problem, I..." The girl stopped suddenly. There was a noise, approaching them. Like a distant hum, and a woosh, steadily growing louder and louder. Adrien and Marinette looked at each other with concern. Their eyes met one last time as the world around them suddenly vanished.

There was silence. The faint smell of dust. A sound like someone fumbling for a wall. All around them was darkness.

"Marinette?"

"I'm here."

"It looks like the lights went out. Maybe an earthquake knocked out the power."

"Shouldn't there be some emergency lights or something?"

Marinette heard him sigh. "This is... not cool."

"Take my hand." She instructed.

"Okay..."

There was something warm and soft grasping her hand now. Normally this would cause her heart to flutter, but these were extraordinary circumstances.

"Okay, hold on." The young girl fondled around for her bag. When she found it, she unclasped it, and something small flew out of it and landed on her shoulder. It seemed to be shaking. Marinette pulled her phone out of her bag and turned on the flashlight.

"I don't have a lot of battery." she said, shining the light around the room. Finally, she settled it on Adrien, who shielded his eyes from the glare.

"Easy with that thing!"

"Sorry." She pointed it away from his eyes and down at the floor. In the distance, she could hear her classmates yelling. They were probably panicking too. She thought she heard the tour guide telling everyone to remain calm. How had they ended up so far away from everyone else? Had she lost track of how far they had walked?

"Let's just... hang on to the... wall, and try to work our way back to everyone, okay?" Marinette suggested. She heard a sound of acknowledgement from Adrien, and they began walking.

"Frankly, this is terrifying," Adrien mused, trying to lighten the mood. Marinette hit a corner and a skull was illuminated by the light of her phone. She jumped, but only lost focus for a moment.

"Just keep your hand on the wall and your other hand in mine."

"Currently, my hand is in some dead dude's eye sockets, so I'm feeling pretty good about my situation."

His quip reminded her of a certain someone, who she wished would show up. Still, how could he? It wasn't like he would know what was going on down here. He was probably up on the surface, enjoying a cat nap.

They walked for a little while longer, drawing no closer to the sound of their classmates. Every corner they took made it seem like the tunnels went on forever. It was as if they were going in circles.

"Marinette, wait," Adrien instructed. She stopped suddenly.

"Shine your light around."

She did so, illuminating the walls and corners. They were in a larger chamber now, with columns interspersed throughout. There were a few hallways leading off of this room, and Marinette didn't know which she would take.

"Have we... been in this room before?" Adrien mused. "I don't recognize it at all. Did we pass through a room with columns?"

Marinette stood for a moment and looked around. No. They hadn't. She gripped Adrien's hand a little tighter.

"We can't be lost, can we?" she wondered aloud. The path they both took had been pretty straight and easy to follow. So how was it that now they couldn't find their way back?

"Maybe we should just... stay put and wait for—" Adrien began, but he stopped short. The light from Marinette's phone was starting to fade quickly. "Did... did you run out of battery?"

"No, I..." she began, tapping her phone against the heel of her palm. "I should still have some left. What's going on?"

"Let's try mine," Adrien said. There was a moment of silence as Marinette heard Adrien pull out his phone. She stood in the growing darkness, waiting, but no more light came.

"My screen won't even turn on..." Adrien said, his voice betraying his growing concern. Marinette squeezed his hand as the light from her phone faded completely.

"Hey. It's okay. We're not in danger. We'll just wait here, okay?" she turned to him and continued. "Someone will come. Or the lights will come back on. We'll be alright."

"Okay." Adrien whispered, taking a deep breath. "I trust you. I—"

"Isn't it romantic?"

"Not particularly, Adrien," Marinette replied, confused.

"That wasn't me," Adrien whispered, moving in closer to the girl. "That was not me."

"It was me."

The two of them peered through the darkness toward the source of the voice. There, shining like beacons in the blackness, were two large, round, yellow lights.

"H-Hello?" Marinette called out to the voice. "Who are you?"

"I am Cataphile," the voice called back. The two lights approached them slowly. "You two look so happy down here..."

Marinette grimaced. Now it all made sense. There was no earthquake. No power outage. It was another one of Papillon's victims, running amok in the tunnels beneath the city. And knowing her luck, it was someone she knew.

"Don't you feel closer now than you've ever been? Don't you think it's romantic?" Cataphile asked, drawing ever closer to the two of them. Marinette stood her ground.

"We'd actually like to go back up to the surface, Cataphile," Marinette insisted, taking a step toward the light. She watched the two orbs narrow in the darkness to mere slits. It flitted toward them, stopping just short of her face. Adrien let go of her hand and stumbled backward, landing on his rump.

"No one can leave! No one leaves my labyrinth until she tells the truth!"

With that, Cataphile leapt away and disappeared in the darkness. The only sound was the sound of their footsteps, running down the corridors, and eventually, even that faded away.

"Adrien, you okay?"

Silence.

"Adrien!" she called out, feeling around for him on her hands and knees where she thought he fell. There was no trace of him. She felt her stomach tie itself in knots. If anything had happened to him, she couldn't even imagine what she would do. She kneeled there motionless, unable to think.

"What if he got hurt? What if he's lost?" she whispered, not daring to speak too loud, as if even saying the words made it more real.

"Marinette, don't worry!" a voice called out to her in the darkness. It was a tender, squeaky voice, that Marinette instantly recognized. "We can help him! And we can help Cataphile!"

Marinette rose to her feet. "You're right, Tikki. It'll be a lot easier to find him once we take care of Cataphile and the lights come back on."

"That's the spirit, Marinette! Be brave!" the kwami praised. She gave Marinette a small hug as encouragement. "I'm ready when you are."

"Tikki, Spots On!"

The room was illuminated for a brief moment as Ladybug finished her transformation. The darkness soon grew back, and the young hero found herself enveloped in shadow.

"Right. Super strength, super agility, no super sight," she complained. She stood there, motionless in the gloom. In the distance, she could still hear her classmates, but they sounded no closer than when they began.

"Okay, Ladybug. Think. What do I know?" she said to herself. She felt around for the nearest wall and leaned against it. "Use your head."

"Cataphile definitely did something to the lights, that's for sure," Ladybug mused to herself, putting the pieces of a larger puzzle together in her mind. "But I had my flashlight on, until..."

She snapped her fingers and smiled. It wasn't much, but she was already putting a plan together. She took her yoyo off her waist and flipped it open. Sure enough, the screen inside illuminated. "Mhm! Thought so."

She swiped through her contact list until she got to Chat Noir. It was a long shot, but she had to try and get in touch with him. She hit the call button, but nothing happened. She tapped it again. And again, a few times, until she realized what the problem really was. It made her feel a little silly.

"No signal. Why would I have signal. I'm twenty meters underground."

She began walking, keeping a hand on the wall to steady herself. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew there was nothing to be gained from standing around. She took her time at first, taking each corner cautiously. But as time went on, she became more and more impatient, and soon she found herself running down the halls, lead by the meager light of her phone screen.

She was rounding a corner haphazardly when she smashed into something and went tumbling backward onto the cold stone floor. She shined her light toward what she bumped into, but the only thing she illuminated was blackness.

"Ladybug?"

She knew that voice. She would know it anywhere. A hand firmly grasped her arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Chat Noir, is that you?" she asked the darkness in front of her. She felt around in front of her. Her hands brushed against something warm and soft. A cheek? She moved her hands up. Well shampooed hair!

"Wow, someone is excited to see me," Chat Noir quipped. Ladybug groaned. Now there was no doubt.

"What are you doing down here?" asked the lady in red. She leaned against the wall next to her and folded her arms.

"Huh? Me?" he began, pausing with some hesitation, "I, uh... I'm just a huge fan of the UX! Yup. Love Urban Exploration."

"That's... huh. I did not know that about you," replied Ladybug. She grabbed his arm and began walking down the corridor again.

"What about you? How did you get down here?" he quizzed, focusing mostly on her and not on the path before them. He just liked that she had his arm.

"I saw an Akuma flutter in here and followed it. Next thing I knew, I was trapped in this maze," Ladybug fibbed. She was pretty good at it at this point. The trick, she found, was to keep it simple. And to ignore any moral quandaries that arose from her dishonesty. It was, after all, to protect their identities. "I'm after the victim now. They're called Cataphile and..."

"Milady."

"They seem to have done something to the catacombs..."

"Ladybug."

"And, obviously, the lights, which is why everything is..."

"Ladybug, wall!"

"Wha—" Ladybug smashed into a wall, with great force, producing a hollow thud and a childish 'oof!' She stood there, rubbing her nose and nursing her wounded pride.

"I, uh...did try to warn you. You okay?" Chat said, with maybe a bit more concern than he intended. She turned to him—at least, she thought she did—and was getting ready to speak, when a realization hit her.

"You can see in the dark!" she exclaimed, patting what she was hoping was an arm. He beamed proudly at her, though she didn't know it.

"That I can! Much like a cat!"

"That's excellent!" She pulled out her phone once more and held it in front of her. The screen illuminated their faces.

"Aw, it's pretty cool, I know, but it's really no big deal, Milady," her comrade humbly admitted. He began to rub the back of his neck, blushing, but winced. It was still tender from the tumble he had taken earlier.

"It's excellent..." she began, fiddling with her phone. She was turning in different directions, holding her device out like a compass. "Because it's useful!"

"Ah. Yes."

"Cataphile... does something to light. It's like they absorb it. The closer you are, the dimmer the light," she explained. She settled on a direction and looked up at Chat, smiling expectantly.

"So I can lead you through the tunnels, and you can use your phone's light to find them!" he exclaimed, finishing her thought. "The dimmer the light..."

"The closer we are."

They fist bumped in their usual way. She held out her hand, and gracefully, Chat took it. They started down the tunnels, hand in hand, Marinette focusing on her light, Chat trying in vain not to focus on her hand clutched in his.

"Look at this! A romantic walk through the catacombs. I must say, it's not my ideal first date, but it will do," Chat purred, lacing his fingers between hers. He tried to play it as cool as he could, but his heart was starting to beat a bit faster.

"Left here," she replied. "Try to focus more on the imminent danger we're both in and not the fact that you've never held a girl's hand before, Chat."

"You wound me, Bugaboo!" he quipped, in a sing-song voice he only used with her. "I have held a girl's hand before, but—"

"Hang a right."

"But you are not just any girl," he reminded her. A subtle smile spread to the corners of her lips as she rolled her eyes.

"And you, my kitten, are not just any boy."

"Oh?" Reflectively, he squeezed her hand a little tighter.

"You are a bigger dork than most. Straight ahead here."

He laughed and threw back his head in a big dramatic gesture that was totally invisible to her. "Ah, your words are cruel and unjust, ma cher!"

"You know, we should be discussing a plan for when we— Hold on." She stopped and turned in place for a moment. "Um... Let's try left here."

"Anyway, we should be discussing a plan for when we find Cataphile," Ladybug said, sternly. Chat Noir chuckled at her, and she looked up to see what expression he had on his face. She couldn't really see past his shoulder, though, so she just looked back at her screen. "Something amusing, Chat?"

"Cataphile," he repeated. "It's just a funny name. Would you call yourself a Chataphile?"

"I like you plenty, Chat," she began, waving her phone in different directions. She stopped and squinted at her screen for a moment before continuing. "It's getting dimmer. It's harder to tell the difference. We must be close."

"You like me plenty, but?" Chat urged, leading her on.

"But as a friend," Ladybug continued. "A very good friend, who I care deeply for, of course."

"That's good enough for me, Bugaboo!" he exclaimed, practically skipping into the next room. As soon as they stepped in, the light from Ladybug's screen faded completely, and she found herself once more in total darkness.

"They're here," Ladybug whispered.

"Yeah, right there. I'm looking right at them. They're talking to someone?" Chat replied, in a hushed tone. He took Ladybug by the hand and led her to a nearby column, which they hid behind. "Wait, I recognize that person."

"Who is it, Chat? Describe exactly what you see. Be my eyes," Ladybug implored, kneeling uselessly in the darkness. She wasn't even sure which direction she should be looking.

"Okay, uh," Chat began, peaking around the column, "She has her back to us. You remember that girl, Juleka? Who was akumatized and turned in to Reflecta? I think it's her. She's talking to someone. Her girlfriend, I think. Rose. Rose doesn't look happy to be there."

"Great! A hostage. And I can't fight in the dark." Ladybug sighed. She slumped against the column, trying to come up with a plan.

"As soon as Chat Noir and Ladybug get here, I'll take their Miraculouses," Cataphile jeered to her hostage. "And then we can be alone together down here. That's what you want, isn't it?"

Ladybug couldn't make out what Rose responded with, but she did hear Cataphile scream the word 'liar' just afterward. Things seemed to be bad. She needed a plan, but it wasn't easy to make one when she didn't even know her position spatially.

"I got it," Chat Noir snapped, putting a hand on Ladybug's shoulder. He pointed up to the ceiling but she simply stared at him, waiting to hear what he had to say. He sighed.

"I'm gonna bring the roof down!" Chat explained, with a surprising amount of enthusiasm and confidence. Ladybug stared at him, trying to comprehend what he just said, trying to find the good idea in there somewhere.

"And then light will come through the hole in the ceiling!" he continued, nodding confidently. Ladybug did not know how to respond.

"Chat, I don't think that's going to work. First of all, we're almost two dozen meters underneath Paris, so... Chat?"

"Cataphile!" declared Chat Noir from the center of the room. Ladybug couldn't see him, but she just knew he was standing all cocksure and proud of himself. She groaned and came out from behind the column, readying herself.

"Ah, Chat Noir! I was wondering when you'd show up," Cataphile hissed, whipping around to face him. She took a step forward, unintimidated. "And you've brought your date! How sweet!"

"That's right!" the man in black agreed. He pointed his staff toward the ground and extended it. It hit the ground with a tink. "But you're being a third wheel, Cataphile."

"We aren't dating!" Ladybug reminded anyone who would listen from the back of the room.

"You can't fight me in the dark, Chat Noir," Cataphile bragged. She took a step forward and shot through the darkness with unexpected speed, stopping just short of Chat Noir. He didn't flinch. He barely reacted. "So why don't you give up now and save yourself the struggle?"

"You know I'm not going to do that, so why even ask?" Chat sighed.

"Worth a shot," she admitted.

"Chat, can we move things along?" yelled Ladybug from the back of the room. She was facing what she assumed was their direction based on the sound. It was a close enough estimate.

"Right. Cataclysm!"

With a smile and a wink, his staff extended and Chat Noir shot up through the air, placing a palm on the ceiling of the chamber. He fell backward and landed next to his partner as the roof began to crumble and collapse. As the stone came crumbling to the floor, sunlight shot through the hole and illuminated the room in a pale haze. Ladybug had to shield her eyes for a moment as they adjusted to the new source of light in the room. Cataphile hissed and leapt back out of the direct light, and for the first time, Ladybug was able to get a good look at her.

It was Juleka, no doubt about that. She was wearing some sort of large yellow goggles over her eyes, which were no doubt what she used to see in the dark. Outside of that, she was pale as a ghost. Her already light complexion had become even lighter, and her hair was bleached white. Strangest of all were the black marks all over her face and arms. The deep circles around her eyes and the vertical lines across her lips made her resemble on of the catacombs ancient residents.

She scurried backward in to the shadows on all fours, moving more like an animal than a person. Chat landed gracefully next to his ally and leaned on her shoulder with his arm, smug smile crossing his face as he eyed Ladybug, who was struggling to take in the events of the last sixty seconds.

"Why did that work?" she pondered aloud. She turned to Chat, who smiled at her and shrugged. "No seriously. We should be way deeper down than that. Why did that work?"

He winked at her.

"No, you can't just wink and pretend like you know something I don't. You had no idea that was going to work, and—-" the young hero gave up, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Nevermind, you know what? Lucky Charm."

There was a flash of light as she threw her weapon into the air. A moment later, a compact disk labelled 'Ladybug's Greatest Hits' fell into her hands. She was very careful not to let it drop. "A CD?"

"Normally, I would make a joke about whatever it is your power produces," Chat Noir began, "but I've learned by now not to doubt the wisdom of Lucky Charm."

"Thanks, kitty," Ladybug chuckled. She stared at the CD in her hand and rotated it a few times. "Go play with Cataphile for a while, for me."

As Chat Noir leapt off to distract their adversary, Ladybug searched around the room. She looked toward pile of rubble where the roof had caved in, and the hole in the ceiling where the light was now shining through.

"Really? That seems too easy." She ran toward the center of the room, carefully scaling the the fallen rocks. She reached the top and looked up through the hole. The sun was shining directly over head. "Thank goodness it's not raining."

Chat Noir took a swing at Cataphile, who ducked nimbly. "Where's your akuma, huh? Save me the struggle of looking."

Cataphile leapt back and snarled at him. "You think you can win? You're in my domain!"

"You know, we don't even have to fight." Chat sidestepped a punch that sent his enemy stumbling past him. "Whatever is making you upset, I'm sure we can all just talk about it."

"How? How can we be sure anything she says is true?" Cataphile snapped back. She pointed an accusatory digit at Rose, who was still huddled against the wall. He looked at her, then back at Cataphile.

"Rose? Ah, a lover's spat," Chat Noir muttered to himself. "Well, it was worth a shot."

Cataphile prepared herself to go at him again, but was interrupted by a beam of light that sent her recoiling backward with a hiss. Chat Noir spun in place to see Ladybug, standing proud like a statue on the pile of rubble in the middle of the room. She was using the reflective part of the CD to redirect light toward their opponent.

"Don't like the light, Cataphile?" she teased. Cataphile sneered and backed toward the wall where Rose was still cowering. Every time the light touched her, she hissed and jumped back a little further. They had her now.

"Go get her, Chat!"

Chat Noir dove toward her, arms outstretched, like a lion pouncing on its prey. Cataphile leapt over him and sent him hurtling into the wall, then, grabbing Rose, she scampered out of the room, muttering desperate cries as she disappeared into the dark corridors beyond. Chat laid there on his stomach, face against the wall, not willing to turn and face Ladybug.

"Nice moves, Chat," Ladybug groaned. Her sarcasm was like an arrow that pierced his heart—or at least, his ego. He stood up and brushed himself off, folding his arms and leaning against the wall, trying to act casual.

"It was all part of my grand plan, of course," he joked, trying to sound as sure of himself as possible. He held out his hand. "Come on, let's follow her."

Ladybug scrambled down the pile and took his hand, reluctantly, but firmly. He smiled at her, which she sarcastically returned, and together they ran back into the labyrinth.

They had been running for some time when they both heard a noise that made them pause. It was quiet, but the sound always echoed louder in their heads. It was a persistent, low pitched beeping that always seemed to come at the most inopportune time. It meant that their time was running out, they were about to change back into their true selves. It meant they had to think of a plan.

"If we split up, we're never going to find each other again." Chat Noir insisted, seeing the concern spread across her face. She frowned at him.

"That's a little dramatic, Chat. If we just go to opposite ends of the corridor, it should be fine!" She insisted. She began walking back the way they came, but Chat grabbed her hand.

"I..." he began. Ladybug was surprised at him, but she didn't wrench her hand free. "I don't do well in tight spaces. Usually, I can handle it, but... in the dark, alone, it's..."

She sighed.

"Okay, Chat. Turn around."

He did as instructed.

"You first. Then me. If we're doing this, it's on my terms."

With a whisper, Chat Noir faded away, leaving Adrien Agreste standing there in the darkness, back to back with the person he loved so dearly. There was a flash of light, and then he was standing back to back with a stranger.

"Augh. I was enjoying our trip! Of all day for an akuma to strike! Moaned a voice in the darkness. Its caterwauling caused Adrien to tense up.

"Plagg! Ladybug is standing right there!" he reprimanded. Plagg landed on Marinette's shoulder and shrugged.

"Hello, Plagg."

"Hello, M... Milady," Plagg greeted her.

"You know Plagg?" Adrien said, confused. He still hadn't turned around. The two Miraculous users leaned against each other.

"It's a long story," Marinette dismissed. She didn't have the patience or the time to go in to the full story. "Anyway, our kwamis should be eating! Not chatting."

Marinette rummaged around in her bag for a snack that Tikki could eat and tossed it to her. She was silently sitting next to Plagg. Adrien hadn't met her yet, so she opted not to speak. Better safe than sorry, after all.

"Right," Adrien agreed, fishing out a hunk of soft cheese from nearby. The smell was repugnant, penetrating the room like a noxious gas.

"Chat! That smell is... offensive!" Marinette said, holding her nose. Adrien passed the camembert off to his kwami, who graciously accepted it. Marinette brushed Plagg off her shoulder. He had brought the cheese too close for comfort.

"Plagg is a connoisseur," he chuckled. "He only eats the foulest cheeses."

There was an awkward period of silence as their kwamis ate. Their small stature did not allow them to eat very quickly. Adrien searched his thoughts for something to say, but he didn't have to. His ally beat him to it.

"Cheese, huh?" Marinette mused. She was squinting, trying to watch Tikki eat her macaroon, but she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. "You know, neither of you are very cat-like."

"And... how are you ladybug-like?" Adrien joked back. He heard her chuckle. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"Fair point. I don't think I'm anything like Ladybug," she admitted. Her hands hung by her side and brushed against his, which made her raise them up again.

"Don't sell yourself short, Ladybug," Adrien said, smiling at the wall. "I think you're very ladylike, at least."

She didn't laugh at his joke. He waited for a moment, then repeated it, but to no avail.

"I just... think about how... if I were better at this, we'd be able to prevent akumatizations before they happen. We'd have Papillon by now."

"That's not exactly fair to yourself, Ladybug," Adrien said, concerned. He could feel her shoulders sagging. "You can't be a hero all the time. You have to be yourself!"

"I'm not even very good at that!" Marinette replied. "I wish everyday that I could have the confidence I have when I'm wearing my mask, but..."

"But?" Adrien urged. It wasn't often that the two of them had the chance to open up to each other this way. Their relationship was always so formal, so professional. They hardly ever got the chance to truly speak to one another.

"But I'm just not the same person. Ladybug and I... we're different. She's brave and selfless and confident, and I'm nervous and clumsy. I can barely talk to the boy I like without stuttering and tripping all over myself."

"Ah." Chat Noir winced at the mention of that anonymous crush that seemed to have reign over every ounce of Ladybug's affection, without even realizing it. That fool that had captured her heart without even knowing it. What a lucky guy. Chat couldn't help but envy him and despise him all at the same time. How could anyone be so dense as to have the most wonderful girl in Paris fawning over you and be none the wiser? How could he not see what he put her through?

"Oh, sorry... I..." Marinette began, clutching her arm and swallowing awkwardly. "I forgot."

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize," Adrien began, trying to maintain his usual happy-go-lucky tone of voice. "You don't have to explain or justify your crush to me, you know? You don't need my permission to love someone."

"You're so... understanding, Chat." Marinette sighed. "Anyone would be lucky to have you. I'm lucky to have you. As my partner, I mean."

"Mm." He made a sound if acknowledgment without feeling much of anything. He just wanted to move on. "So you still haven't told this guy?"

"Well, I was going to today, but... This happened." Marinette groaned, folding her arms. She tapped her foot impatiently. "Maybe after all this, I'll try again. If Plagg would hurry up with his limburger."

"It's camembert!" Plagg exclaimed between mouthfuls, bits of cheese spilling out of his open mouth. "And it's a delicacy, which must be savored!"

"You shouldn't be scared, you know?" Adrien continued, ignoring Plagg's theatrics. "I mean, I guess it's okay to be scared, but you shouldn't let the fact that your scared stop you from doing something you want to do, you know?"

Ladybug stiffened up. "What did you say?"

"I'm just saying, don't let your fear stop you, you know?"

Marinette paused and twisted slightly toward him. She couldn't see his face, but she could almost picture it in her head. Those words, that advice, the same advice Adrien had given her, almost verbatim. She squinted, trying to perceive the vague outline of his face in the shadow. Her mind filled in the gaps, an image took form in her brain. Could it be? Were Adrien and Chat Noir one in the same?

Surely not. They were so different. And just because they had uttered the same phrase didn't indicate that they were the same person. It was just a coincidence.

"Something wrong, Milady?" Chat sang, though there was concern in his voice no matter how he tried to hide it.

"No, I..." she stuttered. She turned back to the wall. "Just thinking about what you said, is all. How do you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your claustrophobia. Everything good? Are you comfortable?"

"Ah, with you here, Ladybug, I hardly even noticed."

"Good," she said, reaching back and squeezing his arm. She felt a little sorry for bringing up her own problems and ignoring his. After all, he was her friend. One of her best friends. "I... I know you want me to be more, but... I'm your friend. I want you to be okay, you know? I care about you."

"Milady, your friendship is the greatest gift I could ask for," Chat assured her.

"Olay, lovebugs, break it up," Plagg snapped, breaking them away from their affectionate stupor. "We have work to do!"

"Finally full, Plagg?" Marinette chirped.

"I always have room for more, but I'm sated for now," Plagg responded.

A moment later, they had both transformed into their alter egos. Ladybug held out her hand and opened her phone, and Chat took her and led on. They fell back into their routine, following the light around twisted corridors and through empty rooms. After some time running they came to a large, open room.

"The light is getting really dark, so-"

There was a woosh and a thud and Ladybug found herself lying on the cold stone floor. Chat started to shout something, but Cataphile leapt off of Ladybug and into him, knocking him to the floor as well. Frantically, she fumbled for the hand where he kept his ring, desperately trying to pry open his closed fist. He raised his knees up to his chest and kicked her off, retreating to put some space between them.

"Chat! I need light!" Ladybug cried. Chat Noir made an exerted noise of acknowledgement, but was unable to make a move before Cataphile had jumped on to his back, clinging to him like a rabid animal. He stumbled about the room, trying to get the girl off of his back. She clawed at him, throwing him off balance.

"Not this time, Chat Noir!" Cataphile cackled, wrestling manically for his ring. He dove around the room, trying to throw her off, but she was relentless. Every time he freed himself, she was upon him again. "If I can take you out, Ladybug will be defenseless!"

"I can't! She won't give me any space!" Chat complained, staggering toward a wall. Cataphile gave a shove with her shoulder and Chat Noir slammed into it with the side of his head. He fell to his knees, dazed for a moment. He got up, still dizzy from the impact, and did his best to fight back. Keeping her away from the ring was his highest priority.

Ladybug stood in the shadows, listening to the sounds of the fight that was happening just beyond her perception. Never one to stand idly by, she took matters into her own hands.

"Lucky Charm!"

There was a flash of red light, which was gone before Ladybug had a chance to take in her surroundings. Into her hand, an object fell, so light, she barely noticed it was there. She fondled it, trying to make out what it was in the darkness. It was soft, and delicate. Pieces of it easily came off in her hand and fell to the floor. It had some kind of stem at the bottom, so she guessed it was a flower, but...

"Ow!" She jumped, winced, and quickly drew her finger into her mouth. A thorn had pricked her, and the sudden pain gave her a start.

"A rose? What good is...?"

She looked around the room, but could see nothing. There was absolute darkness, like she had been lost at the bottom of the sea. Trying to find a solution by eyesight was useless. She needed to try something else. She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could and held her breath.

The sound of fighting to the right.

Chat Noir's voice.

Cataphile, grunting.

He swings with his staff, it hits the floor. There's a ringing sound.

To the left, another voice? A soft, whimpering voice?

"Rose?"

She stumbled off toward the voice, keeping her hands outstretched to keep her balance. Her hope was that she would move quietly and subtly enough that no one would notice, and Cataphile would stay occupied with Chat Noir. It seemed to be working, as Chat Noir had become as aggressive with her as she was being with him.

"Rose?" Ladybug whispered into the darkness. There was no response. She hit a wall and began to follow it along, calling out all the while. "Rose?"

After a moment, her leg bumped against something soft, which jumped, yelped, and shot up from the ground, stumbling away from her. Ladybug stabilized herself and called out.

"Are you okay? It's me, Ladybug," she spoke into the gloom. There was the sound of some feet shuffling and she felt someone throw their arms around her. Rose was shivering and crying, holding on to Ladybug tight.

"L-Ladybug! My Juleka!" Rose began, sniveling and stuttering. Ladybug put her hands on Rose's shoulders and pulled her away, keeping her at arm's length. This was no time for hugs from cute girls.

"I know. It's Juleka. We're going to help her," Ladybug assured her. Rose sighed and thanked her, but Ladybug shook her head. "But I can't fight her, and Chat Noir has his hands full. We need your help."

"My help? I can't fight a supervillain! I'm just a girl!" Rose protested. Ladybug squeezed her shoulders and exhaled sharply.

"Rose, you're the kindest, most generous girl in Paris. You never fail to help those in need. That's the only superpower you need," Ladybug encouraged. "All I ask is that you talk some sense into your girlfriend."

A moment passed without any words, as Rose considered her options. What option did she truly have? She had to help Ladybug and Chat, they were heroes! More than that, though, she had to help Juleka. She was a victim, after all. In times like these, Rose thought to herself, she had to be tough.

"Okay. Hold on," Rose said, her voice overflowing with conviction. Gritting her teeth, she pulled a papier-mâché mask out of her backpack and affixed it firmly to her face. Ladybug, of course, could not see this happening. She only heard Rose rustling through her bag and then a "Ready!"

Slowly, they made their way toward the sound of the scuffle. When they were close enough, Ladybug squeezed Rose's hand, who shouted.

"Cataphile!" Rose hollered. The fighting stopped, and Cataphile whipped around to face them. She froze for a second when she saw them, standing there, next to each other.

"Ladybug!" Cataphile screeched. "If you've hurt her, I swear, I'll..."

"Juleka, I'm fine! This is between you and me," Rose insisted. She stamped her foot and Cataphile was silent.

"My name is not Juleka! I am Cata-"

Rose took a step forward and shut her up once more. "You are Juleka. You're my jewel."

There was silence as Cataphile took a hesitant step forward. Rose matched her as they slowly edged closer. Rose held out her hand, and when Cataphile was close enough, she closed her own hand around it.

"My rose..." Cataphile whimpered.

"Juleka, I..." Rose began, fiddling with Juleka's pale hand. She searched for the right words, but they weren't coming.

"Why did you lie, Rose?" Cataphile murmured, sounding much more like her true self. The accusatory tone of her voice was just noticeable enough to make Rose wince.

"I... I didn't want you to be disappointed, Juleka," she began, the shaking in her voice was just barely betraying her wavering confidence. Still, she continued. "I know you were excited to see the catacombs, I didn't want you to miss it because of me."

Cataphile groaned, but before she could follow up, Rose continued.

"Now I'm saying what I should have said before. Juleka, I... don't like it down here. It makes me uncomfortable. I don't think it's romantic at all. I lied to you when I said I liked them."

Cataphile hissed and squeezed her hand. The venom was rising inside her, as she grew more upset, fed by the akuma that possessed her.

"But I lied because... I love you. And if you wanted me to go with you, I would go to the spookiest, darkest, nastiest corners of the earth with you. Even if I don't like it, it's fine if you do."

"Rose..." Cataphile hissed between gritted teeth. Her breathing was erratic. She was shaking.

"I'm sorry for lying. I should have been more honest with you. I was wrong," Rose said, not letting go of Cataphile's hand, despite her attempts to break free. Cataphile squirmed uncomfortably.

"No, I... you..." Cataphile stammered. By this point, Chat had joined Ladybug by her side and was looking on, totally entranced by this... taming of the Akuma, something they'd never truly witnessed before.

"No. It's not your fault. You didn't mean to hurt me." Cataphile groaned. She held Rose's hand with both of hers now and kept it tightly pressed to her chest. "But... you can be honest with me, Rose. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Rose looked up at her. Her face displayed a much gentler expression than she had before. It was peaceful. "But... I don't want to stop you from doing the things you love."

"I love being with you, Rose. From now on, you can be honest with me if I'm dragging you into something you don't like. I won't be upset. I could never be angry at you."

With that admission, Cataphile fell to her knees. Rose knelt with her, mostly out of shock, and held her to keep her from hitting the floor. She was enveloped in a cocoon of ghastly blackness for a moment as the akuma that possessed her was repulsed. Where Cataphile had been, Juleka was sitting on the floor, wrapped in Rose's embrace. The lights came on, and the four of them found themselves standing in the Catacombs, just as they were meant to be, just down the hall from the rest of their class. Ladybug and Chat Noir stared at each other. This was sort of unprecedented. Chat Noir shrugged.

"I've never seen that happen before!" Ladybug admitted. She was agape, her head swiveling between the two girls and Chat Noir, waiting for someone to acknowledge the incredible feat they had just witnessed.

"Well, true love conquers all, Ladybug," Chat Noir purred, smiling and leaning in closer to her. She squinted and used one arm to slowly push him away. She opened up her yoyo and swung it triumphantly in circles.

"You've done enough damage today, akuma," she declared, still a little confused at the turn of events. "I'm freeing you from evil!"

Ladybug caught the Akuma in her yoyo as it weakly tried to flutter away. "Gotcha!"

A moment later, a pure white butterfly fluttered out of her yoyo. It didn't get too far before it landed lazily on the ceiling of the room they were in.

"Uh... Well, I guess I can't say 'goodbye, little butterfly' if it's stuck down here with us."

"Eh. It'll find a way out," Chat reassured her.

"What happened?" Juleka, still dazed, was beginning to take in her surroundings. She looked around the room, steadying herself. "Ladybug? Chat Noir? Rose?"

"I'm here, my jewel," Rose said, holding her around the shoulders. Juleka stared at her for a moment before releasing a sigh and embracing her. Having been akumatized before, it wasn't difficult for her to piece together what had occurred. She held Rose close for a long, drawn out minute, before releasing her.

"...why are you wearing your Kitty Section mask?"

"Because it makes me feel tough!" Rose announced, flexing her biceps. She removed her mask and laughed. Juleka stifled her own laughter and embraced her again.

"All superheroes need masks, Rose," Chat Noir mused.

"Juleka has you to thank for saving the day!" Ladybug followed up. Juleka looked at Rose, confused. The girl in pink shrugged and humbly shook her head.

"Milady," Chat began, turning to Ladybug and pointing to the rose in her hand, "Is that rose for me?"

"What, this thing?" She mused, bringing it close to her nose. "Smells like camembert, so I think I'll just get rid of it."

Exclaiming her magic words, she cast it into the air, where it burst into a pink cloud of magic, returning the catacombs to their original, ancient state.

"Well, this whole day has been rather unorthodox!" Chat noted, putting his hands behind his head. "How about we break tradition and transform back right here and now?"

"Sorry Chat, I'm a very old-fashioned girl," Ladybug teased. She began to walk away, but stopped and turned back to him. "But... For what it's worth, I... I really liked talking to you today."

She ran off down the corridor, leaving Chat Noir swooning bittersweetly behind her. He bade goodbye to the lovers, Rose and Juleka, and went his own merry way.

"Dude, where were you?" Nino pressed as Adrien rejoined the rest of the class. He greeted his friend with their usual hand shake as they began to ascend the staircase back to the surface. "I was like, ninety percent sure you were dead."

"I couldn't tell you, Nino," Adrien responded, climbing toward the light and fresh air. "In case you missed it, the whole place was pitch black."

"Fair enough. I'm just glad you're okay," Nino said, patting him on the back.

"Have either of you seen Marinette?" Alya called, hurriedly ascending the stairs behind them. "I've been looking all over for her, but..."

"You can't find Marinette?" Adrien exclaimed. He had been with her as the lights went out, but abandoned her to transform into Chat. He was on his way back to her when she ran in to Ladybug, and forgot all about her. His heart sank. How could he be so irresponsible?

They climbed the stairs and breached the surface, coming out in the light of the setting sun. Alya was interrogating each member of her class, trying to find out where they had last seen Marinette.

"Mme. Bustier," Alya cried as she burst from the stairway up onto the street. Her teacher perked up and turned, smiling at her student. "I have to go back down there. I think we left Marinette down there!"

"Alya, I'm right here," Marinette called. She was standing there with the others who had stayed up above that day. She had just been speaking to Mylène and Ivan when the rest of the class had emerged. She waved nonchalantly at her friend, who threw her arms around her.

"Girl!" Alya screamed, embracing Marinette with tears of relief welling up in her eyes. Marinette tenderly hugged her back as Chat Noir and Nino approached them. "How did you get up here? I was worried sick!"

Marinette gently pushed Alya away, smiling sweetly. She greeted Adrien and Nino, who warmly greeted her back. The class began to shuffle back on to the bus headed to school.

"Oh, when the lights went off, I was trying to get back to you guys with Adrien," Marinette explained, climbing aboard the bus and taking her seat next to Alya. "But we got seperated. Luckily for me, I ran into Chat Noir, who escorted me back to the surface."

Adrien stiffened up and whipped his head around at her. Leaning across the aisle of the bus, he got closer to the two girls, trying to listen in.

"You... Chat Noir rescued you?" he asked. She turned to him with an innocent smile.

"That's right. I ran into him just after I lost you," she explained, having carefully crafted this infallible lie to cover her tracks. It was a little white lie that no one could disprove, and didn't cause any one any harm, so her conscience was clear.

"Huh." Adrien made a noise and tried not to let his face betray what he was thinking. Why was Marinette lying? That wasn't like her. She hated liars. "Chat Noir is... pretty cool, huh?"

"He's alright." Marinette shrugged. She leaned back into her seat and closed her eyes, relaxing. "I like Ladybug the most, though."

Adrien leaned back into his seat, next to Nino as conversation broke out between his friends over which of Paris' many heroes were the 'coolest.' He sighed and tried to dismiss his doubts. After all, it wasn't like he could call her out.

The bus jerked forward, and began rolling down the road. Everyone on board was in a jovial mood. Rose and Juleka wrapped their arms around each other, more affectionate than ever after the day's events. Nino was leaning over Adrien to argue the case for Carapace, and Alya and Marinette were laughing at him. Everything seemed to be right, but Adrien couldn't settle down. His mind was swimming with doubt as the sun set on another day in Paris.


End file.
